About Us

Home
About Us
Meet our Staff
Donate
Calendar
Programs
Newsletter
Success Stories
Volunteers
Links

Contact Information

National Headquarters
412 West King Street
York, PA 17404
1-717-846-9275

Organizational Chart

View our ORG Chart

Client Testimony

MS. CYNTHIA KEMP

MY TESTIMONY
(CLIENT TO DIRECTOR)

I moved to York Pa. from NYC with two small children. I came to York’s Helping Hand for the Homeless, in 1986 AS A CLIENT. I was treated with such dignity and respect that I decided to give back to my community and volunteer. I began to volunteer with the Christmas program and then the Thanksgiving Program. I began to show up almost everyday, using my skills and enthusiasm to assist in any way I could. After a couple of years, the Director at that time, asked me to be the volunteer program coordinator. I was more then happy to do it; because I was just having a great time. Several years later, I was asked by the Director to become her part-time secretary. I was paid a small stippend for that duty. Several years later, I was asked, by the Director to become the Office Manager, and also assumed the responsibility of Case Manager. The pay stayed the same; the only difference was now I carried four titles. When my duties as Office Manager were explained to me, I realized that was what I was doing all along. All my life, I believed in God, but not Jesus. Finally, with all the praying we were doing in the Center and they were praying for me, without my knowledge, in 1992, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. While raising my family, going back to school to learn about business, computers and Real Estate, my passion continued to grow in creating services and serving the less fortunate. In 1996, the Board of Directors of York’s Helping Hand for the Homeless, Inc. offered me the position of Executive Director/ President, I was ready. God raised me up in the organization and my true calling was found through my life experiences, volunteerism, mentors and most of all obedience to God’s word

2007 Service Data

Weekend Food Servings	22347 meals** served
Food Cupboard-Emergency Food Bags	1469 Families
Emergency Referral Services	643
Homeless Survival Kits	967
Homeless Hygiene Packs	1289
Homeless Client Care	332 Families
Homeless Client Care	767 sgl m/f/t
Homeless Family Search	102
Homeless Job Search	269
Homeless Apt/house	229
Homeless Mailbox	134
Homeless Clothing Assistance	2356
School Day	675 Families
Thanksgiving	356 Families
Christmas	845 Families
Project Y.O.R.K.	63 At Risk Teens
Behavioral Health Drop In Center	92 Consumers
Homeless Vet’s	23

collected through Out-Reach
** average 300 serving per food run

History of YHHH

York’s Helping Hand for the Homeless, Inc. is non-profit 501(C) (3), christian organization , that provides non-denominational services to the homeless, poor and needy persons and families of York County, Pennsylvania.

The organization was founded in 1985 and named Trovers. Trover's was modeled after an outreach ministry in Philadelphia, which was started by an 11-year-old boy. He was very rich, and one evening watching the local news, he saw a story about the homeless people living in Philadelphia. He asked his parents to take him down to where the homeless are and wanted to give them some food. His parents said no several times, before they gave in to their son’s wishes. Hoping to discourage him from wanting to do this, they went into the slums of Philadelphia and allowed him to place a thermos of hot vhocolate and an old yellow blanket next to one of the least of Gods children. This act of kindness did not discourage young Trover; he continued to do this every evening. Thus, there organization began and ours was modeled after what a child had created.

We were located on the corner of George St and College Ave. York Pa. A three bedroom apartment, loaned to us by St. Mary’s of York, to operate out of. A group of Christians from various denominations gathered in the kitchen and cooked hot meals which were taken to parking lots, on Saturdays and Sundays, to serve people who were homeless. The needy came, and were not turned away. Our Daily Bread was open Mon-Fri for hot meals; yet no-one served hot meals on the weekends. The number of meals served per weekend, in 1985 averaged 35 to 40. The numbers of meals served per weekend in 2008 averages 700 to 750. WE ARE A CRISIS ORGANIZATION. WE LOOK WHERE THERE IS A NEED, WHICH IS NOT BEING FILLED AND DO OUR BEST TO FILL THAT NEED. In addition to the weekend feeding program, a clothing room and pantry was established in the three bedroom apartment. Six months after the creation of this organization, a senior Mrs. Johnnie Bell Kemp was hired as the first receptionist. In November 1986, Ms. Cynthia Kemp began to volunteer for the organization.

In 1989, the organization moved to 112 S. George Street and Incorporated under the name of York’s Helping Hand for the Homeless.
In 1991, the organization moved to our current location.
In 1998, the organization added a full functioning Homeless Drop-In-Center. (see under List of Services)
The Homeless Health Center opened in January 1999.
In May 2007, the organization added a Minority Behavior Health Drop-In-Center.
In 2008, the organization developed a training program directed at homeless Veterans. All through the years, the York Community has been our main source of donations. All through the years, programs have been expanded or added to help hurting people help themselves, always with dignity and respect, for the clients we serve.

February 08, 2012